"Thanks to the Knight Foundation for this 'knot-hole' [The Vault] through which we, the unwashed, can peer to see just how our tax dollars are being spent by City Hall. Please keep up the good work."
—Eugene B. Kordahl

The Department of Public Works maintains the flashing lights that caution drivers to reduce their speed to 20 mph for two hours each morning and afternoon on school days.

This summer, department director Mark Jernigan told City Council’s public works committee that the lights would be ready in time for the new school year — a bit of a moving target in New Orleans with schools starting anywhere between July 20 and Aug. 26.

“DPW is currently finishing up repairs and uploading programming information into each of school zone flashing beacon in preparation for the start of the school year,” Howard said.

On the 4500 block of heavily trafficked Canal Street Wednesday morning, the lights weren’t flashing in front of Pierre Capdau Elementary. The three other lights associated with the school were working properly. Classes began there on Aug. 5.

Neither set of lights on Orleans Avenue in front of Encore Academy in Mid-City were working. They began school Aug. 12.

Howard said the city is completing a laundry list of repairs:

Replacing damaged school zone signage

Installation of school zone signage at new schools

Replacement of some backup power batteries

Replacement of some burned-out bulbs

Replacement of several time-keeping clocks

Inspection of radio transmitter

Inspection of radio transmitter repeaters

“The radio transmitter is expected to be operational this week,” Howard said.

A repeater on the Danziger Bridge is not functioning. Howard said that repair will require additional parts. Affected lights will be programmed manually, as opposed to remotely, until the repeater is fixed, he said.

“Our goal is to ensure that all school zone flashing beacons will be operational to support the start of the school year,” he said. “DPW staff will be inspecting each location within the next two weeks (based on when school year starts) to verify that they are operational.”

Marta Jewson covers education in New Orleans for The Lens. She began her reporting career covering charter schools for The Lens and helped found the hyperlocal news site Mid-City Messenger. Jewson returned to New Orleans in the fall of 2014 after covering education for the St. Cloud Times in Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with majors in journalism and social welfare and a concentration in educational policy studies.

The City of New Orleans is hustling alright, but it has very little to do with getting the school lights working.
Put LaToya on a street corner. Give her a vest and a flag and tell her to get to work.
08/31/2015 8:19 PM DST USA

nickelndime

Evidently City “hustling” does not take much caloric expenditure – cuz every picture that ASP and “nickeldime” see in da news is a lot of overindulgent porking “government” who either need a good nutritionist or need to get up from behind dere deskes and do a couple of HUP HUP 1 2 3 4…WHAT IN THE HELL R WE GOOD FOR!
09/02/2015 2:12 AM DST USA

nickelndime

Raise yo’ hands! When is the last time you saw anybody in City Government “HUSTLE” – and WE are talking about “defintion #3” – “TO WORK ENERGETICALLY”? These guys are afraid to move – figuratively and literally. For one thing, they are afraid to buck the bureaucracy – afraid they will be out of a job. And that mindset affects their general ability to do much else other than report to work on time and leave on time. Can’t really blame them – can you? One helluva job, Mitch and Andy.
09/02/2015 3:14 AM DST USA